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Washington as a Surveyor. Frontispiece 

1 Washington as Surveyor and Map-Maker.115 

By P. Lee Phillips 

A Message from the President General.133 

Revolutionary Ancestry of the Presidents of the United States 134 

By Mrs. Amos G. Draper 

Archives Hall Planned by Congress.138 

By Lily Lykes Rowe 

Mrs. Warren G. Harding Member D. A. R.149 

By Grace M. Pierce 

Historical Program Page.150 

By Dr. George Morton Churchill. 

Wisconsin State Conference .151 

Work of the Chapters.152 

Genealogigal Department.162 


Honor Roll of the Daughters of the American Revolution 

Magazine.167 


National Board of Management— 
Official List of. 



ISSUED MONTHLY BY 

THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 

Publication Office, 227 South Sixth Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

MRS. CHARLES H. BISSELL MISS NATALIE SUMNER LINCOLN 

Chairman, Magazine Committee, Southington, Conn. Editor. Memorial Continental Hall, Washington, D. C. 

MRS. EDITH ROBERTS RAMSBURGH 
Genealogical Editor, Memorial Continental Hall, Washington, D. C. 

ENTERED DECEMBER 13, 1917, AT THE PHILADELPHIA, PA.. POST OFFICE AS SECOND CLASS MATTER UNDER 

THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1879. 

Subscriptions should be sent to the Treasurer General, Memorial Continental Hall, Washington, D. C. 
Single Copy, IS Cents Yearly Subscripton, $1.00 Canadian Postage, 30 Cents Additional 

COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY THE NATIONAL SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 


































































































































































































































« 


WASHINGTON AS A S y-R VEYOR 
FROM FROST’S “ PICTORIAL LIFE OF WASHINGTON,” 1847 































DAUGHTERS OF THE 
AMERICAN REVOLUTION 
MAGAZINE 

VOL. LV, No. 3 MARCH, 1921 WHOLE No. 343 


WASHINGTON AS SURVEYOR AND 
MAP-MAKER 

By IVtce Phillips 

Chief, Division of Maps^Library of Congress 


N the year 1747, when Wash¬ 
ington had arrived at the 
manly age of fifteen, a confer¬ 
ence was held in which the 
family deliberated upon a suit¬ 
able profession for him. He 
was offered many inducements to be¬ 
come a midshipman in the service of 
His Majesty, the King of Great Britain. 
In those days, no one of gentle birth 
would descend from the social status 
of a “ gentleman ” (a word which con¬ 
veyed lofty aspirations and superior 
attainments), and outside of the army 
or navy, there were not many positions 
worthy of consideration. After some 
deliberation the profession of surveyor 
was chosen for him. 

At that period there were immense 
tracts of land comparatively unknown; 
the grantee, in some cases, was not 
even certain how far his boundaries 
extended or whether he rightly owned 
the land to which he laid claim. Sur¬ 


veying was, therefore, not only a lucra¬ 
tive profession, but one of much con¬ 
sideration. Socially it also carried 
great weight, as it required much 
knowledge of the country and the people 
therein. There is no question that the 
selection of this profession was the 
foundation of Washington’s great 
strategic ability as a military leader, 
since it led him to a knowledge of the 
country and how to defend it. 

Among the eighteen thousand pieces 
in Washington’s wonderful penmanship 
in the Library of Congress, are found 
numerous surveys with drawn plats, 
showing his application and success. 
“A book of surveys began July 22 d , 
1749,” shows his industry at the age of 
seventeen. The earliest drawing which 
has come to light is a survey of Mount 
Vernon, made when he was about fif¬ 
teen years of age. This was the first of 
the many which he made of his much¬ 
loved domain. In connection with this 

115 










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PAGE FROM WASHINGTON’S “BOOK OF SURVEYS 




,S*i\ . 







WASHINGTON AS SURVEYOR AND MAP-MAKER 


117 


it would be well to mention a beautiful 
drawing by Washington, in the Library 
of Congress, measuring 18 by 17 inches, 
entitled “ A Plan of my Farm on little 
Hunt 5 - Creek & Potom k - R. G. W. 1766.” 
This drawing has been so well photo- 


From his Young Man’s Companion Wash¬ 
ington had already learned the use of Gunter’s 
rule and how it should be used in surveying, 
and to complete his knowledge he seems to 
have taken lessons of the licensed surveyor of 
Westmoreland County, James Genn, for 
transcripts of some of the surveys drawn by 
Genn still exist in the handwriting of his 



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lithographed by DeLancey Gill, that 
copies have been sold as the original, 
with his name torn from the lower 
left border. 

As to Washington’s early education 
as a surveyor, Paul Leicester Ford says 
in his “ The True George Washington ”: 


pupil. This implied a distinct and very valu¬ 
able addition to his knowledge, and a large 
number of his surveys still extant are mar¬ 
vels of neatness and careful drawing. As a 
profession it was followed only four years 
(1747-1751), but all through life he often used 
his knowledge in measuring or platting his own 
property. Far more important is the service 
it was to him in public life. In 1755 he sent to 















118 


DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MAZAGINE 


Braddock’s secretary a map of the “ back 
country,” and to the Governor of Virginia 
plans of two forts. During the Revolution it 
helped him not merely in the study of maps, 
but also in the facility it gave him to take in 
the topographical features of the country. 
Very largely, too, was the selection of the 
admirable site of the capital due to his super¬ 
vising: all the plans for the city were submit¬ 
ted to him, and nowhere do the good sense and 
balance of the man appear to better advantage 


As there is no mention made of this 
work in any notice of Washington’s 
writings, a full description may be 
of interest: 

Plat of the land whereon Stands the Town 
of Alexandria. By a Scale of 15 Po to ye 
inch. 1234 x 15j4. [1748] A plan of Alex¬ 

andria now Belhaven. 12J6 xl5j6- [1749]. 

Alexandria is located on land which formed 



FIRST SURVEY OF THE TOWN OF ALEXANDRIA 
BY WASHINGTON. 1748 


than in his correspondence with the Federal 
city commissioners. 

While the student should be given 
due credit for bringing to light many 
historic documents, he has, however, 
been stimulated by the prices which 
such material has brought within 
recent years. From this exploiting has 
come to light, a plan and survey of 
Alexandria, Va., which is now in the 
possession of the Library of Congress. 


part of a large grant to Robert Howsen in 
1669. Howsen sold his land to John Alex¬ 
ander in 1677. In 1730, a public tobacco ware¬ 
house was established on this tract and the 
hamlet which clustered about it was called 
Belhaven, and was known by that name until 
the town was laid off under an act of the Gen¬ 
eral Assembly of the Colony of Virginia 
which was passed in 1748. This act authorized 
the surveying and laying out of a town at 
“ Hunting Creek Warehouse on Potomac 
River,” the town to cover sixty acres of land, 
“ parcel of the lands of Philip Alexander, John 
Alexander and Hugh West,” and “ that the said 
town shall be called by the name of Alexandria.” 



WASHINGTON AS SURVEYOR AND MAP-MAKER 


119 


The trustees appointed for the town 
included Lord Fairfax, William Fair¬ 
fax, George Fairfax, Richard Osborne, 
Lawrence Washington, William Ram¬ 
sey, John Carlyle, John Pagan, Gerard 
Alexander, Hugh West, and Philip 
Alexander. The surveys having been 
made in accordance with the charter, 


here marked, “Area 51 acres 3 Roods 
31 Perch.” At the upper end of the 
area, buildings are indicated and marked 
M r - Hugh Wests H°- & Ware H oss -” 
The road upon which these buildings 
are indicated extends from “ Ware H°- 
Point ” through the area and is marked, 
“ Road round.H d - of the Crk &c.” Be- 


PLAN OF ALEXANDRIA 
BY WASHINGTON, 1749 



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the first meeting of the trustees on 
September 20th, deeds for these lots 
were executed. 

Of these two maps of Alexandria 
drawn by George Washington the 
earliest is the “ Plat of the Land 
whereon Stands the Town of Alexan¬ 
dria,” the title being noted on the re¬ 
verse of the map, probably at some 
later date. It is an outline of the area 
to be covered by the town which is 


yond the road is “ A fine Improvable 
Marsh.” Along the water front, the 
river is marked, “ The Shoals Or Flats 
about 7 feet at High Water,” and a line 
farther out in the river reads, “ The 
Edge of the Channell of the River. 8 
Fathoms.” The following note appears 
at the foot of the map, “ Note that in 
the Bank fine Cellars may be cut, from 
thence wharves may be extended on 
the Flats with 1 - any difficulty & ware 



















120 


DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MAGAZINE 


Housses built thereon as in Philadel¬ 
phia &c. Good Water is got by sink s - 
wells at a small depth. The above area 
of 51 Acres 3 R 31 Perch belongs to 
Cap 1 - Phill. Alexander, Cap 1 - John Alex¬ 
ander, M r - Hugh West.” 

This map was evidently made in 
1748 when Washington was seventeen 
years old, after his return from his sur¬ 
veying expedition on the lands of Lord 
Fairfax in the Northern Neck of Vir¬ 
ginia, 1747-1748, and after the passing 
of the act by the General Assembly. 
In Washington’s Journal of 1747-1748, 
the only reference he makes to a survey 
of Alexandria follows a place where 
several pages are torn out. 

The other map, “ A plan of Alexan¬ 
dria, now Belhaven,” was evidently 
made prior to the organization of the 
municipal government at the first meet¬ 
ing of the trustees on July 13, 1749, 
while the town was still called Bel¬ 
haven. This map was used for the sale 
of lots which took place on the 14th 
and 15th of July, and has a list of the 
purchasers, numbers of the lots, and 
price given in pistoles. The town is 
laid out in eighty-four lots with ten 
streets, Orinoko, Princess, Queens, 
Cameron, King, Prince, Dukes, Water, 
Fairfax, and Royal. The river in front 
of the town is marked, “ 4 & 5 feet 
Water,” and at the extreme of the 
town, “8 Fathom Water.” On the 
opposite shore in Maryland a house is 
indicated, marked “ M rs - Addison’s.” 

The list of purchasers reads: 

No. Proprietors’ Names 


1 Col 0 - W. Fitzhugh . 2 6}4 

2 Jn°- Pagan . 10 y 2 

3 W m - Hicks, Esq r - . 10 

4 

40 Harry Piper . 16 

20 

21 Roger Lindon . 45^4 

36 Jn°- Dalton. 19 

31 Garr d - Alexander ... 19^4 


26 Allan McCrae . 22 

41 John Caryle . 30 

46 W m - Ramsey . 30 

51 Lawrence Washington . 31 

56 

57 Hon. W m - Fairfax. 35 

62 

63 Col°- Geo. Fairfax . 39 

69 

70 Col°- Nath 1 - Harrison . 46 

77 

78 Nath 1 - Chapman . 56*4 

32 Garr d - Alexander . 20 

27 John Alexander . 8 

37 John Dalton . 16 

42 John Carlyle . 16 

52 Law. Washington .16 

47 W m - Ramsey . 16 

71 Henry Fitzhugh . 16 

33 Hugh West. 8 

38 

39 Henry Saleald . 23 

48 John Pagan . 13*4 

49 John Alexander . 15 

79 Ralph Wormeley, Esq. 10 

45 Charles Mayson . 10^4 

50 Adam Stephens . 11/4 

53 

55 George Mayson . 15 

24 William Munday . 11 

54 William Strother . 7 

59 Col 0 - W. Fitzhugh . 7 

60 John Peyton . 8 

72 

73 John West Sen r - . 15 

64 

65 Augustine Washington . 15 

80 

81 Anne West . 12 

66 

67 W m - Henry Jerrett. 10 

74 

75 Pearson Jerrett . 10 

58 John Champe . 8 

83 

84 George West . 8 

68 

76 Hugh West, JuiV- . 8 

82 W m - West, Jun r - . 4 

Sold for Pistoles .774 


These plans set at rest the doubt, 
often expressed, that Washington had 
in any way assisted in the laying out 
of the city. There is no city in the 
United States which is so permeated 
with the spirit of this great man as 
Alexandria, for the “ Father of his 














































WASHINGTON AS SURVEYOR AND MAP-MAKER 


121 


country ” looked upon it as his much¬ 
loved child. Alexandria has now a 
population of about eighteen thousand ; 
in 1776, about five thousand. In the 


ists. The discovery of this first plan 
of Alexandria, which shows a keen and 
intelligent knowledge of such work, 
confirms us in the belief that the de¬ 



years preceding and following the 
Revolution, before the too great rivalry 
of Washington, Baltimore and Norfolk, 
it had anchored at its wharves ships 
from all parts of the world, and it even 
set the fashions for the northern tour¬ 


signing of the city of Washington was 
as much the work of Washington as 
of L’Enfant. 

The illustration “An accurate map 
of the English Colonies in North 
America, bordering on the River Ohio,” 














122 


DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MAGAZINE 


measuring 13^4 by 18J4 inches with 
border, is the earliest literary produc¬ 
tion in which Washington is men¬ 
tioned. Scanning the map you will find 
noted between the “ Ohio or Bell River ” 
and the “ Monongohela R,” the state¬ 
ment, “ Here C. Washington engag’d 
ye French, 1754.” The “ C ” evidently 
is an abbreviation of “ Colonel.” The 
map is bordered on each side by an 
historical statement in which Washing¬ 
ton figures: 

About the beginning of June, 1754, the Gov- 
ernour of Virginia sent Colonel Washington 
at the head of four hundred men to keep them 
at bay, till more forces should arrive. The 
Colonel being informed that thirty-five of the 
French were within a day’s march of him, 
with a design to intercept his convoy of pro¬ 
visions for the army, went in quest of them 
with a detachment of forty-five men, who on 
the way were joined by the Half-King, a con¬ 
siderable monarch, with twelve Indians. The 
next day they came up with the enemy, kill’d 
eleven, took twenty-one prisoners, and the 
three that fled were brought back, and scalp’d 
by the Indians. The English had only one 
kill’d and three wounded. Among the 
prisoners was M. le Force, a man of great con¬ 
sequence among the French. July 3d the Eng¬ 
lish camp was alarm’d by two men, who came 
up to one of our centries, shot him in the heel, 
and fled. About an hour after, four Indians 
came and informed, that the enemy was on 
their march; upon which the English threw 
up trenches round their Fort in the Meadows. 
Soon after the enemy were seen marching 
down the woods, to the number of about nine 
hundred. The Colonel, who had but three 
hundred and fifty men to oppose them drew 
them up in order of battle, just as the French 
enter’d the meadow. One of our centries fir’d 
and kill’d three and returned to the fort. The 
French retired to the woods, while the Colonel 
sent a party to take possession of a wood op¬ 
posite the fort; but the officer as he was march¬ 
ing, cried out, that the enemy would take 
possession of the fort, and immediately 
ordered his men to the right about, and so fled 
to the fort, the French firing at them all the 
time, and wounding many before they could get 
thither. The engagement lasted from ten in the 
morning till seven at night. The enemy fired 
from behind the trees, and the English from 
the fort and trenches. The gunner, when he 
had fired one round of his artillery, which did 


great execution, retired into the fort, and 
would fire no more. At seven o’clock the en¬ 
emy called a parley, and offer'd us terms of 
capitulation; upon which the Colonel called a 
council of war, who maturely considering their 
circumstances, that they had not provisions for 
two days, that the excessive rains had render’d 
their army unfit for service, and, that they had 
a great number of men kill’d and wounded, 
judg’d it proper to accept of honourable terms. 
Upon which Captain Van Bramm was sent to 
receive their proposals. The articles agreed to 
were, that the English should deliver up the 
Fort by day-break, and be allow’d to march 
out with drums beating, and colours flying, 
with their arms and all their stores, except can¬ 
non ; not to build any more forts on the French 
territories, or bear arms against his most 
Christian Majesty for the space of one 
year ... 

While it is very reasonable to sup¬ 
pose that Washington made maps 
when participating in the French and 
Indian wars in 1754, the Braddock ex¬ 
pedition in 1755, and various other 
colonial wars, the only authentic one 
is found in the Jared Sparks collection, 
Cornell University, Ithica, N. Y. It is 
entitled “ Washington’s manuscript 
sketch of Fort Cumberland,” measur¬ 
ing about 12 by 13 inches. A reprint is 
found in Avery’s “ History of the 
United States,” vol. iv, p. 207, and also 
in Journal of American History, vol. ii, 
p. 402. Others may come to light to add 
new luster to this wonderful man. 

So far as the writer has been able to 
find in the various published letters of 
Washington, the only references to con¬ 
temporaneous maps are in a letter ad¬ 
dressed to Benjamin Harrison, Gov¬ 
ernor of Virginia, from Mount Vernon, 
October 10, 1784: 

It has long been my decided opinion, that 
the shortest, easiest and least expensive com¬ 
munication with the invaluable and extensive 
country back of us would be by one or both of 
the rivers of this State, which have their 
sources in the Apalachian mountains. Nor 
am I Singular in this opinion. Evans, in his 
Map and Analysis of the Middle Colonies, 
which, considering the early period at which 


WASHINGTON AS SURVEYOR AND MAP-MAKER 


123 


they were given to the Public, are done with 
amazing exactness, and Hutchins since, in his 
Topographical Description of the western 
country, a good part of which is from actual 
surveys, are decidedly of the same sentiment; 
as indeed are all others, who have had oppor¬ 
tunities, and have been at the pains, to investi¬ 
gate and consider the subject. 

But that this may not now stand as mere 
matter of opinion and assertion, unsupported 
by facts (such at least as the best maps now 
extant, compared with the oral testimony, 
which my opportunities, in the course of the 
war have enabled me to obtain), I shall give 
you the different routes and distances 
from Detroit.” 

The Evans’ map referred to was pub¬ 
lished in 1755; that of Hutchins’ in 
1778. Why he does not refer to the 
maps of Fry and Jefferson (1751), and 
of Henry (1770), is a matter of con¬ 
jecture. These two maps of Virginia 
which embraced most of the country 
then known as the United States, are 
of great geographical and historical in¬ 
terest. Jefferson was the father of 
President Thomas Jefferson and Henry, 
the father of Patrick Henry. 

The only known copy of the original 
engraved Fry and Jefferson map, 1751, 
is found in the New York Public Li¬ 
brary and came to it in the purchase of 
the George Bancroft library. Other 
editions were published in 1755, 1768, 
and 1775. Joshua Fry, joint author, 
was well known as a surveyor and 
colonel in command of the Virginia 
forces against the French in 1754. He 
died May 31st, whilst conducting the 
expedition to the Ohio. The Henry 
map is so rare as to be almost unknown. 
Copies of these maps are found in the 
Library of Congress. 

One of the “ gems ” in the large col¬ 
lection of maps in the Library of Con¬ 
gress is the well-executed map drawn 
by Washington, himself, with the notes 
written in his own clear handwriting. 
It is perhaps the most interesting docu¬ 


ment extant on early land grants on the 
Great Kanawha and is here described 
in full. Although it has no distinctive 
title, it may be called “ A plan of the 
tracts of land on the Great Kanawha 
River covering the interests of George 
Washington in that district. Copied 
by Washington from the original sur¬ 
veys dated 1771-1775.” It measures 
64?4 by 22j^ inches. 

By adding a flap 7% by 8 inches, at 
the necessary point, additional width 
has been given the map to show tract 
N°- 8, which lay on the “ Poketellico 
Creek.” The spaces on the map which 
would otherwise be blank have been 
filled in with separate notes concerning 
each survey. A margin of thirteen 
inches is left blank at the foot of the 
map. These lands on the Great 
Kanawha were surveyed in eight dif¬ 
ferent tracts. They begin a few miles 
above the mouth of the river and lying 
on one side or the other of the river, 
extend to Blaine Island at Charleston, 
West Virginia. 

Tract No. 1 begins near the mouth 
of the river, extends along the west 
side and contains 10,990 acres.. The note 
describing this tract is headed: 

A Table 

to explain Plat N° 1 

Patented in the name 
of 

Geo: Washington' 15 th Dec r - 
1772 

This gives survey notes and ends 
as follows: 

Pursuant to an Order of the Hon ble - the 
Gov r - & Council of Virginia dated the 15 th 
day of December, 1769.-- 

I have Surveyed the Lands mentioned in this 
Plat as part of the 200,000 acres, Granted for 
the use of the Officers & Soldiers mentioned 
in the said order. 

[Signed] W. Crawford Surv r - 
of the Sold r - Land 
June, — 1771 



i 

* 


e 


♦ 










WASHINGTON AS SURVEYOR AND MAP-MAKER 


125 


Tract No. 2 lies farther up the river 
on the east side and contains 7894 acres. 
The accompanying note reads: 

A Table to explain Plat N°- 2 
Patented in the Names of 


George Muse for . 100 

Doct r - Jas- Craik .1794 

W m - Bronaugh.6000 


Total of the Tract..7894 acres 

Gives survey notes and ends: 

Made pursuant to the order &c. 

[Signed] W m - Crawford 

Surv r - Off r - & Sold r - L d - 
14 July 1775 

Tract No. 3 adjoins tract No. 2 on 
the east side of the river and con¬ 
tains 7276 acres. The accompanying 
note reads: 

Plat No. 3 

Patented in the Names of 


acres 

Geo. Washington for.3953 

George Muse .3323 


Total of the Tract.7276 


the whole now belongs to G W 

Gives survey notes and ends: 

Made pursuant to an Order of the Govern r - 
& Council 

[Signed] W m - Crawford 

Sr. Offr- & Soldr. L d - 
July 1773 

Tract No. 4 is on the west side of the 
river opposite tract No. 3, and con¬ 
tains 4232 acres. The accompanying 
note reads: 

A Table to explain Plat 
No. 4 

Patented in the Name 
of Doct r - Ja s - Craik 

Gives survey notes and ends: 

Pursuant to an Order of the Hon ble - the Gov r * 
& Council of Virginia dated the 15 th day of 
Decem r * 1769 

I have surveyed the Lands mentioned in this 
Plat as part of the 200,000 acres Granted for the 
use of the officers and soldiers in the 
said order. 

[Signed] W m - Crawford 

Surv r - of the Sold r - Land 
June 1771 


Tract No. 5 on the east side of the 
river contained 21,941 acres. No sur¬ 
vey notes of this tract are given and 
the surveyor is not named. The ac¬ 
companying note reads: 

Tract N°- 5 
is Patente [: ] 

[words erased] 

The heirs of Col. Fry 
for his deficiency 
at the last distribution 
Jno Savage D° the 
same 

Tho s - Bullet for his 
full proportion 
William Wright 
for his 

John David Woel- 
pert for his full proportion 

Colonel Adam Stephens for [ 91 „„ 
his Second dividend j 

Colonel Andrew Lewis for his | 9in „ 
Second dividend j 

Capt. Peter Hog for his second I 01AA 
Dividend } 2100 

21714 

Unappropriated in this Tract 227 
Total therein 21941 

Tract No. 6 on the west side of the 
river, sometimes referred to as the 
“ Pocatellico survey,” contains 2000 
acres. There are no notes relating to 
this survey on the large map. The 
Library of Congress has a separate 
manuscript note relating to it. This 
reads in part: “ Surveyed for George 
Washington, assignee of Charles Myn 
Thruston, a Lieutenant in the Virginia 
Regiment, by Virtue of the Governor’s 
warrant and agreeable to the Royal 
Proclamation of 1763. Two Thousand 
acres of land in Fincastle County.” 
Full survey notes follow dated April 
18, 1774, and signed Jno. Floyd, asst., W m - 
T. Preston, S.F.C., these letters standing 
for Surveyor of Fincastle County. 

Tract No. 7 on the east side of the 
river opposite tract No. 6 contains 2950 
acres, and the accompanying note reads: 


I acres 
j 7242 

1 2572 

J 

1 2500 

J 

2500 

600 













126 


DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MAGAZINE 


Copy of a Survey 
made by M r - Sam 1 - Lewis 6 Nov r - 
1774 

for G: Washington for 2950 
Acres — Plat N° 7 

Surveyed for George Washington 2950 
acres of land (by Virtue of a Warrant for 5000 
acres granted by his Excellency the Governor 
to said Washington agreeable to His Maj¬ 
esty’s Proclamation issued in the year 1763) 
lying in the County of Botetourt on the N° 
East side of the Great Kanahwa, about a mile 
and a half above the Pokitellico Survey. . . . 

Gives survey notes. On the reverse 
side of the separate of the manuscript 
note on tract No. 6, this same notice 
on tract No. 7 is given. This tract is 
the one which lies farthest from the 
mouth of the river, and the note to it on 
the large map is the one in which Wash¬ 
ington used the words, “ Copy of.” 

Tract No. 8 lies north of the river 
and contains 6788 acres. The accom¬ 
panying note reads: 

N° 8 Is Patented in the Names of 


Andrew Wagener for .2572 acres 

John West .1400 

Col. Mercer .2816 

Total 6788 


No survey notes are given and the 
surveyor is not named. 

Washington mentions the project to 
secure valuable lands in the “ King’s 
part ” to William Crawford, his land 
agent in the matter of the western 
lands, in a letter written from Mount 
Vernon, September 21, 1767. There 
had evidently been a previous mention 
of the same subject, though no previ¬ 
ous letter from Washington to Craw¬ 
ford seems to exist. The letter of 
September 21, 1767, with subsequent 
letters between Washington and Craw¬ 
ford, edited by C. W. Butterfield, and 
published in 1877, give much informa¬ 
tion concerning Washington’s western 
land holdings. There are also many 
letters in the “Writings of Washing¬ 


ton,” edited by Sparks, and in the edi¬ 
tion by Ford, which are interesting in 
connection with this large map. 

William Crawford was born in Vir¬ 
ginia, learned surveying under Wash¬ 
ington, and served under him in 1758, 
marching with the Virginia troops to 
Fort Duquesne. In 1766, he moved his 
family over the mountains to a place 
in what is now Fayette County, Penn¬ 
sylvania, then called “ Stewart’s Cross¬ 
ings.” Here Washington visited him 
in the fall of 1770, which is noted in 
Washington’s Journal of a Tour to the 
Ohio River, 1770. Crawford accom¬ 
panied him on this trip, and in the 
Journal, under the dates November lst- 
2nd, Washington notes leaving the 
Ohio River on a short trip up the Great 
Kanawha River, “ to discover what 
kind of lands lay upon the Kanawha.” 

The earliest of these surveys made 
by Crawford on the Great Kanawha are 
dated June, 1771. Small separate 
drawings of several of the tracts made 
by Washington either from drawings 
furnished by Crawford or from his sur¬ 
vey notes are to be found among the 
Washington papers in the Manuscript 
Division of the Library of Congress. 
Washington had Crawford sign these 
small drawings with their accompany¬ 
ing notes. These drawings were evi¬ 
dently the base of the large map. 

The surveys were made under the 
Proclamation of 1754 issued by Governor 
Dinwiddie and reads in part as follows: 

For an encouragement to all who volun¬ 
tarily enter into the said [military] service, I 
do hereby notify and promise, by and with the 
advice and consent of His Majesty’s Council of 
this Colony, that Over & above their pay, 
200,000 acres of His Majesty, the King of 
Great Britain’s Lands, on the east side of the 
River Ohio, within this dominion (100,000 
acres to be contiguous to the said Fort, and the 
other 100,000 acres to be on or near the River 
Ohio) shall be laid off & granted to such per- 





WASHINGTON AS SURVEYOR AND MAP-MAKER 


127 


sons who by their voluntary engagement and 
good behavior in the said service, shall 
deserve the same; and I further promise that 
said lands shall be divided amongst them 
immediately after the performance of the 
said service. . . . 

Washington was keenly interested 
in these lands, both on his own account 
and in the interest of other officers, fil¬ 
ing their claims for them, bearing much 
of the expense and watching over the 
interests of all. In time he acquired the 
claims of a number of the officers. 

In a letter written in 1770 to Lord 
Botetourt, Governor of Virginia, pro¬ 
testing against the Walpole grant 
which threatened to include much of 
the 200,000 acres claimed by the officers 
and soldiers under the above Proclama¬ 
tion of 1754, Washington says, “ The 
exigency of affairs, or the policy of 
government make it necessary to con¬ 
tinue these lands in a dormant state for 
some time.” This evidently referred 
to the King’s proclamation of 1763 pro¬ 
hibiting all governors from granting 
warrants of lands to the westward of 
the sources of the rivers which run into 
the Atlantic, and forbidding all persons 
purchasing such lands or settling on 
them without special license from the 
Crown. In the letter to Crawford 
dated September 21, 1767, quoted above, 
Washington, in speaking of this procla¬ 
mation says, “ I can never look upon 
that proclamation in any other light (but 
this I say between ourselves) than as a 
temporary expedient to quiet the minds of 
the Indians. It must fall, of course, in a 
few years, especially when those Indians 
consent to our occupying the lands.”* 

In a letter, dated April 3, 1775, to 
Lord Dun more, Washington speaks of 
the Patents having been issued “ under 
your Lordship’s signature & the seal 
of the Colony, ever since the first of 
December, 1773,” It, however, seems 


as though Washington must have ob¬ 
tained patents for part of these lands 
earlier than December, 1773, for he 
advertises his lands on the Ohio River 
and the ten thousand acres on the 
Great Kanawha contained in tract 
No. 1 in the Maryland Journal and Balti¬ 
more Advertiser, August 20, 1773, vol. i, 
No. 1, and says he has obtained patents 
for these lands. He also advertised his 
lands in various other newspapers of 
the time, such as the Pennsylvania 
Gazette, September 22, 1772, and later 
in the Pennsylvania Packet, April 27, 
1784, and the Columbian Mirror and 
Alexandria Gazette, February 20, 1796. 

The advertisements seem to have 
been for the purpose of leasing the 
lands for periods of years up to the 
year 1796, when he advertises the lands 
for sale, but names no price. He speaks 
of his purpose to sell his western hold¬ 
ings in a letter to Presley Neville in 
1794. In this letter, he offers the lands 
on the Great Kanawha at three dol¬ 
lars and a quarter per acre for the 
whole body of land, with seven years’ 
credit and without requiring a part of 
the purchase money to be paid down. 
If sold separately, a fourth of the pur¬ 
chase money was to be paid down, and 
for some of the tracts, particularly tract 
No. 1, more than three dollars and a 
quarter an acre would be necessary. 

Washington’s holdings on the Great 
Kanawha as shown on the map were 
not sold, however, and at the time of 
his death his will shows that he still 
owned tract No. 1, 10,990 acres; tract 
No. 3, 7276 acres; tract No. 6, 2000 
acres, and tract No. 7, 2950 acres, the 
whole valued at $200,000. 

The Library of Congress has a 
fine manuscript copy of the map made 
by Nicholas King, the title of which 
reads: “ A Map of Lands situated on 




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PROBABLY THE FIRST SURVEY OF MOUNT VERNON MADE BY WASHINGTON WHEN FIFTEEN YEARS 

OLD, ABOUT 1746 




















WASHINGTON AS SURVEYOR AND MAP-MAKER 


129 


the Great Kanawha River, near its con¬ 
fluence with the Ohio. On a scale of 
200 Poles to an Inch. Copied by N. 
King.” Tract No. 8 and the survey 
notes have been omitted from this copy, 
and the wording of the inscriptions 
has been somewhat changed. 

Washington, as above stated, adver¬ 
tised these lands for sale in various 
journals of the day, the earliest of 
which appeared in The Maryland Jour¬ 
nal and Baltimore Advertiser, for August 
20, 1773. At the end of this, he speaks 
of “ their contiguity to the seat of gov¬ 
ernment which more than probably 
will be fixed at the mouth of the 
Great Kanawha.” 

The Washington tracts of land lie in 
the coal regions of the Great Kanawha 
Valley, portions of the tracts in Mason, 
Putnam, and Kanawha Counties, W. Va. 

A map issued in 1867 by John S. 
Swann at Charleston, West Virginia, 
shows several of the Washington tracts 
as well as many other grants. It is 
entitled, “ Title map of the coal field of 
the Great Kanawha Valley, West Vir¬ 
ginia, United States of America.” 

There are no large towns on the 
Great Kanawha from Charleston to 
Mt. Pleasant at the mouth of the river, 
St. Albans (formerly Coalmouth) being 
the largest with about 1200 inhabi¬ 
tants. This town is at the mouth of 
the Coal River and lies on tract No. 6, 
of the Washington lands. 

Most of the maps used by Washing¬ 
ton during the Revolutionary War 
were made by Robert Erskine, com¬ 
missioned by him as Geographer of the 
United States, in 1778, and also Thomas 
Hutchins, in 1781. The original manu¬ 
scripts of the former are found in the New 
York Historical Society Library. Wash¬ 
ington, no doubt, would have accomplished 
this work, much to his own and our satis¬ 


faction, but his duties were at that time in 
saving our country instead of mapping it. 
He, however, made a few sketches for 
temporary use and expressed in the fol¬ 
lowing letter the need of such material: 

To the President of Congress, 

Head-Quarters, Morristown, 26 January, 1777. 

. . . The want of accurate maps of the coun¬ 
try, which has hitherto been the scene of war, 
has been of great disadvantage to me. I have 
in vain endeavored to procure them and have 
been obliged to make shift with such sketches 
as I could trace out from my own observation 
and that of gentlemen around me. I really 
think, if gentlemen of known character and 
probity could be employed in making maps, 
from actual survey, of the roads, of the 
rivers and bridges and fords over them and 
of the mountains and passes through them it 
would be of the greatest advantage.” 

About the last map made by Wash- 
ington, in 1784, is the one entitled, 
“ Sketch of the Country Between the 
Waters of Potamack and those of 
Youghagany and Monongahela as 
sketched by Gen 1 - Washington,” a copy 
of which is reproduced in U. S. House 
of Representatives, Nineteenth Con¬ 
gress, first session. Report No. 228, 
May 22, 1826. This map shows Wash¬ 
ington’s interest in inland navigation, 
especially in connection with the 
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. 

In a work entitled, “ Letters from 
His Excellency, General Washington 
to Arthur Young, Esq.,” London, 1801, 
is a map entitled, “ A Map of General 
Washington’s Farm of Mount Vernon 
from a Drawing Transmitted by the 
General,” which is the earliest printed 
one of which we have knowledge. The 
original drawing accompanied a letter 
addressed by Washington to Arthur 
Young, dated Philadelphia, December 
12, 1793, published in the above work. 
The letter concerned a plan for renting 
the various farms comprising the 
Mount Vernon estate. The map shows 
the farms, the acreage of the fields, 



CONTEMPORANEOUS PORTRAIT 

FROM VADERLANDSCHE BISTORIE” TE AMSTERDAM, J. ALLARD, 1790 









FACSIMII.ES OF WASHINGTON’S AUTOGRAPHS 




























132 


DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MAGAZINE 


position of buildings, the woodland, 
and the cleared but uncultivated fields, 
the latter described by a list of refer¬ 
ences in the upper left corner, which is 
marked “ fae simile,” being a reproduc¬ 
tion of Washington’s handwriting. 

Another interesting plan, the origi¬ 
nal manuscript of which is at Mount 
Vernon, is the one referred to in Wash- 


grow weeping willows, leaving an open and 
full view of the distant woods. The mounds 
are sixty yards apart. I mention this, because 
it is the only departure from the original . . . 

The plan was not reproduced until re¬ 
cently, being first used in Paul Wil- 
stach’s book on Mount Vernon. 

It would be misleading for the writer 
to state that he had described all the 
known maps of Washington. Many 



ington’s letter to Samuel Vaughan, may be scattered through the libraries 
dated “ Mount Vernon, 12 November, and private collections of the United 


1787,” which reads: 

Dear Sir. 

The letter without date, with which you 
were pleased to honor me, accompanied by a 
plan of this seat, came to my hands by the 
last Post. For both I pray you to accept my 
hearty and sincere thanks. The plan describes 
with accuracy the houses, walks and shrubs, 
except in the front of lawn, west of the court¬ 
yard. There the plan differs from the original. 
In the former you have closed the prospect 
with trees along the walk to the gate; whereas 
in the latter the trees terminate with two 
mounds of earth, one on each side, on which 


States and many may be temporarily, 
(we hope), buried in cellars and closets, 
boxes and trunks. I have, however, 
described the most important in the 
collection of the Library of Congress, 
outside of the many plats to accompany 
surveys. That they are well executed as 
to accuracy, penmanship, and drawing, 
goes without saying, for this remarkable 
man seems to have had the divine inspira¬ 
tion of doing well whatever he undertook. 


W 34 





































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